Things to Know before Switching to a Vegan Diet

So, you want to go vegan? Congratulations! Like millions of other people, this is probably your first step towards living a healthy lifestyle. Maybe you are probably doing to suit your ideologies about religion or animal cruelty. Whichever the case, going vegan can be a great decision. After all, Beyoncé, Bill Clinton and other celebrities have also gone vegan in recent years. But here is what they probably don’t tell you.

Take it Slow

You don’t have to go vegan overnight. In fact, research suggest otherwise. A recent study shows that people who transition to vegetarian dishes gradually are more likely to succeed than people who rush into it. If you already dislike meat and animal products however, you r transition is probably going to be easy. Unfortunately we can’t say the same for someone who takes meat, eggs, milk and cheese on a day to day basis. You can still do it however; but only if you accept to transition gradually.

There is Plenty of Vegan Protein Sources

The biggest challenge for new college vegan fans is identifying protein sources. It is probably because most of us are introduced to meat and animal products while at a young age. However, you really don’t have to eat a meat burger or excess cheese to get proteins. Take legumes for instance. Beans and peas all are good sources of protein. Soy and nuts are also protein sources you could replace for animal products

You can Substitute your Favorite Meat Recipe

So you are afraid of quitting that delicious meat pizza? How about I tell you can make a vegan pizza. You can also make a vegan burger, began burrito or vegan soup. You see, you can replace almost every type of meal you love with a vegan recipe. And that way, you never get tempted to go back to your meat eating habits. Note however that as you adopt the alternative vegan diets, avoid the junk. Most people adopt a vegan lifestyle to improve their health after all. And if that is also your case, avoid any junk that can deter you from achieving great health.

Eat Smaller Amounts of Animal Products until you Switch to Vegan

If you are really struggling to quit meat and other animal products, don’t lose hope. In fact, most people who couldn’t do without meat have adopted vegan dishes through easy to do tricks. For instance, take less amounts of red meat every week until you can comfortably do without it. Make it like you are trying to quit smoking. Less puffs gradually and you finally quit. But to really succeed in your process, combine vegan dishes alongside less amounts of the meat you love. As time moves on, and as long as you have the passion, you will finally get rid of the meat and adopt vegan.

Experiment with What Works for you

One problem why people fail to totally go vegan is because they cling on to things that probably don’t work for them. This is especially a major problem for people who switch vegan to try and lose weight. Some good advice here is that every person can have their own strategy of changing things. With switching to vegan, experiment with several tactics, but only stick to the one that worked with you. If giving up sausages for instance seems too difficult, focus on other meat products first. Then learn how to replace the meat sausages with other vegan foods you love.

Going Vegan doesn’t Guarantee Weight Loss

If you are switching vegan because you want to have a slimmer body; know that it is not guaranteed that you will get it. Yes, statistics show that vegan people are slimmer and sometimes healthier, but not always. If you only drop meat for instance but continue taking cheese and other dairy products you will probably not lose any weight. And even if you drop all animal products but continue taking high amounts of sugar based foods, you won’t lose weight either. As such, understand that gaining weight and losing it is contributed by plenty of factors and not just animal products. If you want to lose weight therefore, consult an expert and adopt healthier physical and eating habits.

Slip Ups are Common

Few college vegans admit to never have slipped up while amongst their friends. To people who are not vegans for religious or humanitarian concerns, slipping up is almost unavoidable. Don’t be harsh to yourself when it happens. Instead, simply jump back to your routine and avoid anything that may tempt you to taking animal products in the future.

Finally, maintain a well-balanced diet at all times. You don’t want people to start making fun of you because you look sickly for being vegan. Show your friends and everyone else how healthy and happy you are for switching to vegan through your great health and energy instead.